By Julie Ballantyne Brown, guest blogger
I don’t teach anymore, but I remember the drills.
I remember the nervous chatter of middle schoolers as we huddled in the farthest corner, the door locked, the room dark, objects in hand ready to throw at an assailant.
“Miss, we should throw the stapler because it’s heavy.”
I remember telling them to hush because I, too, didn’t know if this was a drill or the real thing.
I remember holding my quietly crying students, the ones for whom this was too much, as the door handle rattled, administrators checking to see if we had, indeed, locked it.
I remember holding my students who had already been through so much trauma in their short lives who wanted reassurance that they would be okay.
I remember thinking out escape routes and how I would protect those babies entrusted to my care, taking a deep breath as I steeled myself to throw myself at an unknown attacker.
I remember getting the email that my husband’s school was in lockdown and praying that he would be okay.
It shouldn’t be like this. Ever.
Children should not have to think about dying when they go to school. Teachers and other school professionals should not have to think about dying when they go to work.
But they do.
But they do.
Every. Day.
Let that sink in, you who think owning guns is an unregulated right, you who thinks that your “freedoms” outweigh a child’s right to safety and security.
I call bullshit.
Regulate guns and gun ownership NOW. No more thoughts and prayers. Action, damn it.
Here’s how you can take action
1. Write or call your state and federal lawmakers. Tell them what you think. Demand action.
2. VOTE.
3. Check out these organizations to get involved or to donate.
Share your thoughts (but not empty prayers) below or on Facebook at MothersRest.
About the guest blogger:
Julie Ballantyne Brown grew up in the Metro Detroit area of Michigan and is the author of Traveler, as well as Put Up Your Hair, published through Heritage Books. She and her husband have three sons. Besides writing, Julie loves to participate in community theater and is a proud history and genealogy nerd. She also plays a mean game of Words With Friends. One day, she will live in London.
You can read Julie’s thoughts on how to raise good humans in this post.
Photo credit: Matese Fields on Unsplash